Suggs for the Win!

All of our presenters have given me great advice on multiple jobs and told their stories/journeys in the communication industry. I have gained insight and knowledge on a lot of topics. With that being said, the presenter that stuck out to me the most was Del Suggs.

I loved the fact that Suggs pointed out that we should treat everyone with respect whether it’s a janitor, lawn mower, telephone operator, etc. I always make friends with janitors, people around campus, the bus drivers, not because of anything, but because it just makes me feel good to meet new people and show appreciation.

The most memorable ideas I remember hearing from him was the way he talked about goals. I liked how he distinguished a goal from a dream. He encouraged us to write down our goals because then it becomes more real and more achievable. Next, he told us to keep the goals we have to ourselves. Even though, he meant it in a different way, I liked this idea because I find it more rewarding when you are working in silence and surprise everyone with your achievements.

I find it funny how Suggs didn’t really talk about his occupation and what he does for a living but rather general ideas to help you succeed. He was very amusing and had the listeners always engaged in his presentation. He stated that the type of person you are and how you portray yourself is important because it is important to enjoy the people you work it. Happiness is a choice and positivity is key. If you live day by day with an open mindset and set daily affirmations, you will live a more fulfilled life. It is all about connections in this industry. I do believe it is partially based on what you know, but more so on WHO you know. He was able to diminish the fear of messing up letting us know that it is ok to mess up, it happens to everyone. It was assuring to hear and it made me surer of the career path I wanted to take.

New Discoveries

I always knew what I wanted to do and the route I wanted to take, but this class has helped me visualize my future a lot better. It has only been about three months and I have already learned so much. Before taking this class, I thought my resume was great and when I went to the career center, they made so many corrections and helped me perfect it. The approach of critiquing our resumes is important because it is what sells myself to the company so I am glad we were able to touch upon that in this class. How you present yourself on a piece of paper can make or break your chances of getting a job. Also, the 30 second pitch was something I was never aware of yet is so crucial. I sometimes have found myself with potential employees who have asked me, “tell me about yourself” and I rarely know what to say. I believe this is imperative in making a good impression.

A realization that has been made by taking this class is the high importance of networking and making connections. I already knew how important networking is, but a lot of the jobs in my field is not so much of what you know, but who you know. I have never heard of LinkedIn until I took this class and every employer swears by it. It seems to be very efficient and easy to use. You can make connections, match up to potential employers and can even send messages. Ever since Ebe Randeree said that in his downtime while he is on the road, he calls up people and talks to them to keep the connection, I have been doing the same. I feel like I do not have time in the day to be calling people and checking up on them, but when I drive home to Miami, which is a seven-hour drive, I have all the time in the world.

I think the best revelation I have came across is that I know now the path I want to go short term to get to my long term goal. I wanted to graduate in the spring, but now I am considering in graduating in the summer. The more experience I have in this field the better. I want to get an internship both in the spring and summer. That way when I go to my hometown (Miami), I have some experience and can apply my skills to my future job. Starting out in a small town like Tallahassee and then going to Miami will only help me. I believe and have the confidence that once I get my foot in, I will be able to work my way to the top.